Only ones who know (CS AU)
by kateclairex
Summary: Emma Swan sees her life on Strictly Come Dancing as just as job after being taken advantage of in the most brutal of ways. Will Killian Jones, acclaimed actor and tabloid bad boy, be able to re-ignite her passion for dancing and show her love isn't always just for the cameras?
1. Prologue

_I don't write very often but I have just had this idea today. I love CS au's that are able to fit all the other characters in a fun way and I haven't seen (many) CS au's that takes place on a reality show so I thought I would float this idea._

_So this is my Strictly Come Dancing (I suppose everywhere else it's Dancing with the stars?) au. I've got some pretty good ideas but if nobody cares I doubt I'll be able to motivate myself. Anyway, enjoy!_

"Do you really think this is a good idea?" Killian was trying his hardest not to be whiny about this, but really? Dancing? His career was going pretty great at the moment and he just didn't understand what this was going to achieve.

"Look, Killian, I'm not going to lie to you, you're a great actor and people love what you bring to the screen, but as a person? You don't really endear yourself to people. This show will really help people see the real you." This is why he respected Liam, his publicist, he gave it to him straight. Probably helped that he was his older brother as well.

He put the phone in the crook of his neck while he flipped his pancake over. "I just don't know Liam… I'll probably end up making an idiot out of myself." And of course that was the moment he chose to drop his pancake on the floor. He tried to pick it up with a muffled 'shit' but only seemed to make it worse. He put the remnants in the pan and left it in the sink.

"Killian? Are you listening to me?" Liam's voice was becoming strained which meant he was losing his patience with him.

"Look, I'll think about it alright?"

Liam gave an exasperated 'okay' and ended the call.

~/~

He'd been watching a few random episodes of Strictly a week and it wasn't what he expected. Of course there was _dancing_ but these professionals were good, really good actually. The celebrities didn't look stupid, they actually looked like they could dance. These people had dedicated their lives to this and he actually had a new found respect for the dancing profession, particularly when they had to deal with people like him who had no idea what they are doing.

Some of the professionals were on every year and he slowly became accustomed to their style. A few in particular caught his eye, the brown haired beauty with the wolfish grin, Marian, the Waltz specialist and Graham, the one all the girls loved. However, one dancer stood out more than the rest: Emma Swan. She was blonde, beautiful and totally enrapturing. In the earlier series' she had this wonderful sparkle in her eye that was matched by her presence and talent. This was epitomised in the year she won with none other than Neal Cassidy, renowned soap actor.

The way they danced together was mesmerising. Week after a week you could see them growing closer and becoming better because of it. One of the weeks towards the end they did this romantic dance, all slow movements and hips (the rumba, he thinks) and it was obvious in the way they held each other that they were together. Or they were just really good actors.

The definitive answer came when they won the competition - the way he spun her and she gripped his shoulders tight... it was obvious they were an item. You could see in the way she looked at him as they lifted the glitter ball that she loved him, but the same look didn't quite reach his eyes.  
>That was two years ago and the series' that followed she didn't have the same passion; she was stern, professional. He could tell there was a story behind it all and he couldn't help but let that draw him to her, a certain feeling of allure that he couldn't deny. He tried to just put it down to her story and the way she glided across the floor but she was just stunning in a way that made everyone else look like they were just standing in the shadow of her beauty.<p>

He dialed Liam's number without even realising it.

~/~

"Emmaaaaaa," Ruby had her sing-songy voice on, which could only mean one thing: boys.

"Yes miss Lucas?" She put on the same tone in a mocking fashion but she did it with a smile on her face.

Ruby rounded the back of her chair and sat across from her, a small latte with caramel syrup between her hands. She'd had the same drink since she'd known her, too stubborn to try anything new. Then again who was she to criticise stubbornness?

"Well, have you heard who is rumoured to be on the show this year?" This was Ruby's favourite part of the process, theorising and guessing about who was going to be on the show and what partner they were going to get. Even though every time she was disappointed with her pairing, it didn't stop her getting any less excited. It was kind of adorable actually.

"I have a feeling you're about to tell me." She actually had heard who had been rumoured (she'd gotten a text from Graham two days ago) but she took a sip of her drink (hot chocolate with cinnamon on top) and let Ruby have her moment.

"Okay, well there's that archer guy that everyone lovedddd at the Olympics, I think it was Robert…? No, Robin - that's it! Ummm, there's Tink that really cute singer and a couple of models that are mentioned every year. But best of all, there's Victor, you know that guy who plays that doctor on that show? I really hope I get him." Okay, she wasn't just kind of adorable, but _really_ adorable.

"Don't get too excited Rubs, not all the rumoured celebs actually come on the show you know." She nearly rolled her eyes at the dreamy look in her eyes.

"Yeah, well you never know." She took a sip of the coffee and finally relaxed in her seat. Ruby still got the buzz from the show, Emma remembered when she was like that.

"Anybody else?"

"Actually yeah, I know someone who knows someone at one of the publicist agencies in London and _apparently_ that Irish actor Killian Jones is thinking of coming on." And then added after a few seconds, "but that's just whispers."

Emma raised an eyebrow at the name because Killian Jones was a pretty big star, just featuring in the latest Pirates of the Caribbean movie. She didn't know much about him but knew that he was famous for being an arrogant ass. She didn't vocalise her surprise, just simply said "I hate to break it to you Rubs but all of these people are just 'whispers' at the moment." She even added the air quotes with her fingers to add to the effect.  
>Ruby rolled her eyes. "I <em>know<em> that, but still, _Killian Jones_."

Even Emma couldn't deny that this series could end up being an…. interesting one.


	2. Chapter 1

_Thanks for the response so far, I really appreciate it! I'm going to try my best to update at least once a week but we'll see how it goes. This chapter is mostly just groundwork but the good stuff is coming soon, I promise._

*three months later*

It was the day Emma Swan dreaded. She didn't always think it was horrible, once upon a time finding out who her celebrity dancing partner was for (potentially) the next 12 weeks was genuinely exciting.

It hadn't been the same for the past two years.

She'd lost the passion for dance once she'd been betrayed - any time she was happy on the floor, it would only remind her of him. Now she had to be on her guard more than ever, and even she could admit it was tiring. The happy faces and closeness she had to portray while she was on camera was a necessity; without that she had no chance of getting her partner any votes. The chemistry thing was the hardest; it was key in winning over the audience but how could she have could chemistry while still staying emotionally detached?

That's why she only saw this as a job now, and why she found it so hard, because today was the day she would have to break it down to her match that this partnership was strictly (pun very much intended) business and they had to work on staying separate but still being believable to the audience. Maybe it was unfair on them because it was just added workload but she was tired of doing things for the ease of other people, she needed to think of her self once in a while.

However, she wasn't helping herself seeing this as only a job when she was already running late for her first day. Well, it technically wasn't her first day, she'd already done some prep work for the professional dances with Graham (her professional partner on the show) and been to see the producers a few times. But still.

Her phone had rung twice already but she'd ignored it, knowing it was Ruby. It became annoying by the eighth time so she picked it up as she scuttled across a busy road (it was London, nothing new about that) and tried to avoid the numerous taxis and other city workers.

"I know, Ruby," She knew the drill by now but it didn't stop her from calling.

"I didn't realise I had been through a sex change - that's an interesting way to start the day," She must have been really late if Graham was calling her.

"Har, har. Good morning to you too, Graham. I'll be there in two secs, okay?"

"Hurry, Zelena's looking a little green - you know how she hates things going wrong." And with that reminder of her incompetence, he put down the phone.

She whispered a bitter _love you too_ and pushed the door open to the studio.

~/~

Unexpectedly, the morning hadn't been too strange. No glitter in sight as of yet, but then again, it was only 10 am.

He'd mostly been sat with the other celebrities (some he recognised, some he didn't) in a small but very grand ballroom. There had been a break down of the competition, scheduling etc., all of which seemed pretty straightforward. He knew this was a commitment, even when he was shooting a film in a few weeks. He doubted he would be on the show that long so it didn't matter really, and even if the impossible happened, the set location was here in London anyway.

Zelena (the head producer) had just explained that the rest of the day would consist of a 'taster' session almost, where they would all dance with the professionals and then the producers would tell them who their partners were.

However, this had seemed to have been halted as the celebrities had been waiting for half an hour for the dancers to come in. Killian passed the time by talking to the other celebrities, most people recognised him and had been bombarding him with questions about the actors he'd worked with (not many seemed to care much about him, he noted) -

_"Is Johnny Depp really as great as they say?" This one came from a blonde, he thought she was a singer maybe._

_He'd been asked this question more times then he could count, "He's even better, love." She didn't seem to notice his dry tone._

One person he did like was this Robin fellow, an archer from the Olympics (a damn talented one, he might add). He was all brooding looks and smirks and Killian could tell he would be a popular one with audience, assuming he could dance of course.

Killian had been making small talk with him for the past ten minutes (football team, best place to get a steak in London - the usual).

He finally asked the thing that was on all of their minds, "Which one do you want then?" He wondered whether Emma was as popular as he figured she would (and should) be.

Robin clearly didn't need any clarification on what he was referring to, "I don't know, Emma Swan is wonderful for sure, but there's this way that Marian glides across that is just..." He sighed and Killian didn't need a further explanation.

After a few seconds in a wistful trance, Robin returned the question.

"Well, actually..." And that's when he was cut off by the opening of the ballroom doors.

~/~

Zelena had been seething when she had finally turned up - y_ou may not think this is serious anymore Emma but if want to keep your place on this show you better get your mojo back_. Emma had been too stunned too reply, _of course_ she took this seriously and yeah okay she had less passion but she still wanted this job - still _needed_ this job.

Ruby stuck her head around the door jamb to the changing room, with a small smile.

"You okay?" She knew that Zelena's words had hurt her.

Emma fixed the strap on her shoe and stood up, a new sense of purpose in her demeanor, "Yeah, let's do this."

~/~

It was pretty farcical really. The producers would try us out today with the celebrities and tell us later who are partners were. That alone would be fine but then they expected us all to be surprised when they announced on the opening show who was with who. That was reality TV for you.

They'd been a shown some simple steps that each celebrity would try with different professionals, with the producers scrutinising eyes looking on. It was a few simple steps and while they tried to say it was about compatibility, it was all about the looks in reality.

Ruby was currently dancing with Killian Jones - a simple 1-2-3, 1-2-3 - he must have said something flirty because she smiled as he spun her around. She wasn't sure if Ruby had changed her mind from wanting Victor but she couldn't resist an Irish accent and a charming smile, that much Emma was certain.

Emma had to admit he could move though; loose hips, great musicality and the perfect physicality for dancing. He was good looking and complimented Ruby perfectly - she'd had been on this show long enough to know that they would be put together.

It wasn't long before the producers changed it up and switched the partners, it was the last rotation meaning it was her turn with Killian. She took a quick look at the producers and saw them talking in hushed tones and frantically scratching on their notepads. They'd already made their decisions. The rest was just for show.

"You're looking pensive, Miss Swan," She knew from the Irish lilt it was him but she was surprised at deep the accent was. His American accent in his films were flawless (not that she'd been watching his films...) and she figured he just had family from there - but wow.

She spun around slowly to a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"It's rude to sneak up on people, you know." Emma knew she didn't sound completely friendly but something about this guy just rattled her.

"Miss Swan, you seem tense. Maybe we should do something about relieving that _tension_." He spoke the last word slowly, as if tasting it on lips. The effect was not lost on Emma.

"You are unbelievable," She rolled her eyes but it lacked conviction. "Now, get into the correct stance - you're not going to be able to dance stood like that, trying to flirt with me." Pulling back her shoulders, she demonstrated how he should be standing; he followed her lead.

"Miss Swan, I was merely referring to dancing," He said it with a mock innocence and god this guy annoyed her.

"And stop calling me 'Miss Swan,'" She didn't even realise they had already started moving, easily falling into the rhythm of the music.

"Swan it is then."

~/~

She didn't like him. That much was obvious.

Killian had been watching her out of the corner of his eye all day, she was radiant - even more so than she had been on screen. But she seemed distracted, not really focusing on the people she was dancing with, like she didn't want to be here.

She only seemed more alert when they started announcing the partners. They had been taken to another room with rows of chairs facing the producers. Emma was sat in the row in front of him, just off to the right, enough for him to see her profile. She still had the stern look etched upon her face but there was a glint in her eye, her body leaning ever so slightly forwards.

Most of the names passed Killian by without impact, (Robin had gotten Marian which he had tried (and failed) not to show his enthusiasm about) but the list wasn't long and too soon they were saying _Killian Jones_ -

".. and Ruby."

She looked over at him with a playful smile, her brown hair shimmering.

He couldn't bring himself to return that smile, not when the only reason - the only _real_ reason - he came on this show was because of the blonde women sat beside her.


End file.
